Americana Folktale: Fourth of July, 2002

Daddy’s in the front yard, watching
the sprinklers. He sits on a white lawn chair,
beer in hand, flag overhead. Toby Keith sings

over the boombox, promising boots in asses
& the American Way. Momma calls out
from the garage: Get inside, they’re almost here!

Our friends, families from church, rush
through the door, people I’ve known
my whole life—what are their names

again?—& I cling to Morgan. I’m
a few years from realizing I’m older
than her. She’ll play mermaid with me,

so we chase each other to the backyard,
past Johnathan talking to the grownups, &
Momma yelling at Matthew to keep his hands

off David’s neck. I race up the deck, cannonball
above-ground, challenge Morgan
to a hold-your-breath contest. I go

first. Suck in, fill lungs, plunge, grip plastic
stairs, & hope she is counting because
I’m thinking about how quiet it is underwater.

Even now, I can still hear the boys screaming,
hear Daddy yelling back this time ’cause they
won’t listen to Momma. Think about how far away

I am. Like I’m not even there. Like I don’t
actually exist. I can’t really breathe—
Rush to the top. Gasp for breath. Morgan tells me

my time, but Momma yells brisket’s ready!
& we all run down for prayer. Daddy leads
Lord, thank you for this food, but all I remember:

Thank you for this country, thank you for this war,
thank you for our freedoms—nowhere else
is like this country—your country—thank

you for my nice Christian friends & this
nice Christian holiday. Thank you for
my perfect Christian children who will

never disappoint me, or you. & as
we say in the South—rubba-dub-dub,
thanks for the grub!—& with chorus—amen!

Sarah Karowski (she/her) recently finished her MFA at the Mississippi University for Women. Her work has been in Prospectus: A Literary Offering and Mad Swirl among others, as well as in anthologies with Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Moonstone Arts Center. Her work is forthcoming in anthologies with Five South and Prickly Pear Press. Sarah is also the social media advisor for Thimble Literary Magazine. She is currently in Tallahassee, Florida with her partner and two dogs, and spends her free time trying to call dragonflies to her telepathically.